The Top Ten Things You Should Never Say To A Pregnant Woman

10. "Wow! You are HUGE!"
This pregnant woman already feels huge and her husband has probably spent all morning trying to convince her that she isn’t. Don’t undo all his hard work. Compliment her shiny hair or cute maternity clothes instead.

9. "Are you having twins?"
I used to try and think of clever responses because I got this one so much. Honestly, it sounds just as bad as asking if you knew how big your butt has grown.

8. "That outfit looks really comfortable."

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"Comfortable” translates to sloppy. It is better to say nothing or talk about the weather.

7. "Having sex is said to bring on labor."
Especially if the pregnant woman is at the end of her pregnancy, she is aware of the fact that sex is what got her into this uncomfortable and bloated condition to begin with. She is not interested in more. Besides, her doctor probably already told her this little tidbit and she has tried it and it hasn’t worked.

6. "You look tired."
Say what you really mean. “You have big bags under your eyes and skin looks green because of the morning sickness.” On second thought, smile and say nothing because she IS tired.

5. Any bad labor story.
Why do women love to do this? "My labor was just awful!! Here is what happened….." or "I had a friend that had a bad complication…" Share the good stories and keep the bad ones to yourself.

4. "Get your rest now because you won’t get any rest once the baby comes."
Believe me, she knows. Pointing it out won’t prepare her. And seriously, how much rest can she get when there is a little person kicking her whenever she stops moving, she can only sleep on her side, and she gets up every 20 minutes to go to the bathroom. Offer to help her with housework instead.

3. Any negative opinion about the baby’s name.
Unless it is someone very close to you and they actually ask your opinion on a name, save any stories that you might have about a childhood bully or girl that you hated in high school. Chances are, your pregnant friend has already made up her mind on the baby’s name. If you don’t like the name, keep it to yourself.

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.